Fins for Pyzel Astro (NOT Astro Pop)

[sjlist]

Been looking for a dedicated groveler for smaller, weaker waves (knee to belly high) around L.A. Finally picked up a used Pyzel Astro, which is the old school fish predecessor of the Astro Pop. It's a quad, 6'0, 39L, which are the right dims for my old ass...

I rode it yesterday in weak but kinda fun County Line (the kind of conditions I bought it for), and I like it so far...but don't love it. Paddles great, feels loose and skatey on the wave, but lacks the speed and down the line drive I was expecting from a fish.

I'm thinking this is a fin issue. I was running a normal performance quad set, and it just felt kind of boggy. Any suggestions on what kind of set up would work best in this type of board? I'm thinking a split keel would probably be the best bet, but open to suggestion.

For now, I have a set of Thermotech T1s I'm going to try, and I also have an old set of Thermotech Controllers (which is missing one of the front fins - anyone with an extra fin or old set?)

I'm not going to want to stay with plastic fins if I end up really liking the board. But the Futures sets that interest me (Machado's, new Controllers, Rasta's) are all incredibly expensive. There are some used NVS Onos and NVS Nautilus on CL that look interesting. Anyone with feedback on those? Any other less expensive brands I should consider (Captains? Chaos?)

 

[oeste858]

For quads in a fish I would try the Machado seaside quads, or Lovelace piggyback quads (middle ground between split keel and more upright quads). Rasta quads are fun with the inside foil but more upright than these.

per Duffy, you can also try twins as fronts and 2 tiny nubster as rears- actually works pretty well.

edit: IMO the Pyzel you really want as a SoCal groveler is Gremlin. Can get it with swallow tail too so it has a fairly fishy outline

 

[rowjimmytour]

Futures BUZZ quad

STRETCH BUZZ QUAD SET by Futures - complete quad set featuring original Stretch template quad rear pair - allows for more traction and drive off...

store.stretchboards.com

 

[sjlist]

Futures BUZZ quad

STRETCH BUZZ QUAD SET by Futures - complete quad set featuring original Stretch template quad rear pair - allows for more traction and drive off...

store.stretchboards.com

Oooh. Those look good, too

 

[rowjimmytour]

Oooh. Those look good, too

I use them on my gbuzz grovel board 5'2" x20.25 x2.375" I am 5'8" 170# 51 years old.

 

[Maz]

Hey mate.

I have an Astro Twin (5'10), and it's definitely not boggy and slow, so I reckon other fins could make a big difference. What does Pyzel recommend for it?

The board is not a trad fish - much more HP - so you're unlikely to get the full glide of a flat TKF.

 

[sjlist]

Hey mate.

I have an Astro Twin (5'10), and it's definitely not boggy and slow, so I reckon other fins could make a big difference. What does Pyzel recommend for it?

The board is not a trad fish - much more HP - so you're unlikely to get the full glide of a flat TKF.

I talked to a guy at the Pyzel shop, and he was basically of the opinion to try whatever, which wasn't much help... He did think the T1s by themselves might work well, but I haven't tried that yet. He didn't mention any of the split keel sets.

 

[Retropete]

A better size for larger guys than the Machado quad set. Cheaper too (in Australia) if you have distributors in the US? You shouldn't have to pay GST (general sales tax) if they are to be shipped to you.

Hybrid Quad Keel - Nude

Shapers Australia is the Global Leader in Surfboard Shaping, Glassing and Sanding Supplies. Shop now securely. Delivery service worldwide.

shapers.com.au

 

[sjlist]

For quads in a fish I would try the Machado seaside quads, or Lovelace piggyback quads (middle ground between split keel and more upright quads). Rasta quads are fun with the inside foil but more upright than these.

per Duffy, you can also try twins as fronts and 2 tiny nubster as rears- actually works pretty well.

edit: IMO the Pyzel you really want as a SoCal groveler is Gremlin. Can get it with swallow tail too so it has a fairly fishy outline

Bit of an update: I took the Astro out yesterday in chest to head, soft County Line, and ran it with just T1 fronts, no rears. It was definitely squirrely and easy to slide out, had to nurse my bottom turns on anything steep. BUT, I got one nice sized, fairly hollow set wave where I managed, however clumsily, to set the rail properly on take off and the thing just TOOK OFF!

The speed and glide was just incredible. So, for a moment, I got what all the twin keel/fish fuss was about. Felt like I was flying. Super fun. Addictive sensation, really...

The Machado split keels look great, I'm wondering if that might be the magic set up for this particular board (maybe more so than the Controllers?) And I'm now very curious to try just the T1s with nubsters in the back to give it a bit more hold. Duffy, you've had good luck with that set up?

 

[sdsrfr]

Curious what ”normal” quad sets you’ve tried?

some of the split keels go nice in certain boards but I sold mine (seaworthy) bc they were far too particular and the board they worked in was only marginally better than with some of my other “normal” sets.

as for normal set recs, stretch (by futures) and Rusty (R3, blk/ylw 5fin) have both worked well in fish-like quads for me.

ymmv, of course.

 

[rowjimmytour]

Curious what ”normal” quad sets you’ve tried?

some of the split keels go nice in certain boards but I sold mine (seaworthy) bc they were far too particular and the board they worked in was only marginally better than with some of my other “normal” sets.

as for normal set recs, stretch (by futures) and Rusty (R3, blk/ylw 5fin) have both worked well in fish-like quads for me.

ymmv, of course.

Stretch honeycomb red quad set Great quad set but the fins unlimited #2 set fiberglass is pure bliss

 

[sjlist]

Curious what ”normal” quad sets you’ve tried?

some of the split keels go nice in certain boards but I sold mine (seaworthy) bc they were far too particular and the board they worked in was only marginally better than with some of my other “normal” sets.

as for normal set recs, stretch (by futures) and Rusty (R3, blk/ylw 5fin) have both worked well in fish-like quads for me.

ymmv, of course.

I tried a set of Rusty larges (Blackstix) in the front, and QD2s (3.75) in the rear, and it went "okay." Not great. Definitely preferred it with the T1s.

You may be right about the Controllers though. Might be too upright for this shape or something.I tried them in the rear and it didn't feel great.

Wait, that didn't sound right...

 

[sdsrfr]

which qd2? Flat, 80/20 or 50/50 foil? The R3 5fin is actually like an upright 3.5” 50/50 foil, pretty unique. iirc the blackstix rusty are the same front template as R3’s.

i wasted a ton of sessions witb split keels trying to convince myself I had another board they worked with. I didn’t.

 

[sjlist]

which qd2? Flat, 80/20 or 50/50 foil? The R3 5fin is actually like an upright 3.5” 50/50 foil, pretty unique. iirc the blackstix rusty are the same front template as R3’s.

i wasted a ton of sessions witb split keels trying to convince myself I had another board they worked with. I didn’t.

The QD2s are the rears from a set of Honeycomb F4s that came with my used Ghost when I bought it. Great fins in the Ghost, as a quad or a thruster (which is how I mainly ride it). They're a small fin set (yet surprisingly they work well for me), with a 50/50 foil.

I think the Rusty Blackstix have the Vector 2 inside foil, and are a large fin.

I am wondering whether the split keel is the right fin set up for this particular board, since it is wide and traditionally "fishy" in some respects. Pretty deep swallow, etc. But not sure yet. Want to try it with some keels and see how it goes, and also with the T1s with the nubsters in the back.

It's also possible I could just learn to surf it more competently on rail, in which case the T1s on their own may be perfect...they felt amazing on the one good wave I got yesterday.

 

[tedshred5]

The QD2s are the rears from a set of Honeycomb F4s that came with my used Ghost when I bought it. Great fins in the Ghost, as a quad or a thruster (which is how I mainly ride it). They're a small fin set (yet surprisingly they work well for me), with a 50/50 foil.

I think the Rusty Blackstix have the Vector 2 inside foil, and are a large fin.

I am wondering whether the split keel is the right fin set up for this particular board, since it is wide and traditionally "fishy" in some respects. Pretty deep swallow, etc. But not sure yet. Want to try it with some keels and see how it goes, and also with the T1s with the nubsters in the back.

It's also possible I could just learn to surf it more competently on rail, in which case the T1s on their own may be perfect...they felt amazing on the one good wave I got yesterday.

I just ran these big Rainbow Fin Co 5.5” twins in the front boxes of my RNF Retro at a mushy reef this morning, and it was a revelation - so fast and free. I think the quad placement on my board is pretty similar to that on an Astro - a little further back.